Regenerated cellulose fabric that has been oxidized to contain carboxylic groups (CORC) is commonly used in preparing hemostatic wound dressings and is acidic in nature due to the presence of the carboxylic acid groups. Such fabrics include rayon fabrics that have been oxidized to include carboxylic groups. Examples of hemostatic oxidized regenerated cellulose absorbable hemostats commercially available include Surgicel® absorbable hemostat, a knitted fabric of oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC), Surgicel Nu-Knit® absorbable hemostat, a dense ORC fabric and Surgicel® Fibrillar absorbable hemostat, mircrofibrils of ORC, all available from Johnson & Johnson Wound Management Worldwide, a division of Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, N.J., a Johnson & Johnson Company.
Such fabrics are believed to be incompatible with biological materials that may be sensitive to acidic environment. For instance, when thrombin is exposed to CORC fabrics it is known to rapidly lose its enzymatic activity. Previous attempts to make CORC compatible with enzymes and other proteins that otherwise are acid-sensitive have involved neutralizing CORC fabric or powder with calcium or sodium salts, or other neutralizing agents.
It would be advantageous to provide hemostatic wound dressings and medical devices utilizing such wound dressings that provide effective and/or improved hemostasis to a site of a body in need of hemostasis when compared to a conventional wound dressing, while allowing for the incorporation of materials that may be sensitive to acidic environment. The inventions described herein provide such advantages.